Quantico
by Brennan4
Summary: Summary: FBI trainee Shinji Ikari is pulled out of class by the director, his father. A serial killer known as Sachiel is on the loose, and the only hope of catching him my be a young man named Kaworu Nagisa.
1. Cruel Angel's Thesis (part 1)

Chapter 1: Cruel Angel's Thesis (part 1)

Justin Traveler had been a Boy Scout for 5 years as a child. Ever since then, he had tried to live by the motto of that organization, "Be Prepared" throughout his college years, and career in the army, he had done everything in his power to live by that motto. For years he believed that any situation could be dealt with if you prepared for it properly. Tonight he was having his doubts.

There isn't much you can do to prepare for a man wearing black combat fatigues and a bird-shaped mask coming at you with a harpoon.

His attempts to fend off his assailant physically had failed. He wasn't the young man he used to be, and the masked man had a distinct advantage over him in hand to hand combat. In panic, he fled to the second floor of his house, where he lived alone.

He realized too late that he only cut himself off from the exit. The masked man ascended the stairs slowly, scraping the harpoon along the sides of the hall. Justin understood that this tactic was only intended to intimidate him, increasing his panic and making him easier to kill.

He had to admit it was working.

With nowhere to turn, and no hope of fighting off the attacker, Justin quickly gave up hope. He knew he was probably going to die, and decided not to face death on his knees, begging for mercy.

As the masked man reached the top stair, he leapt out to tackle wasn't surprised that the attacker swung up the harpoon and drove it into his chest. It hurt more than he expected.

He had trouble breathing. It was like someone had poured boiling water into his chest, setting all of his nerves alight with agony and clogging his airways.

He looked into the eyes of his killer. He wasn't sure if he was expecting remorse, sympathy, or some other emotional response, but he wanted to learn something about the man who was killing him.

He received no indication of any human soul. Just the blank, heartless expression frozen onto the mask. He died without seeing any indication that the being who killed him was a human.

The killer pulled out the blood drenched harpoon. He carved a rudimentary cross in the wall above the corpse, and over to the side he wrote a single word, a signature of his handiwork.

"Sachiel."

####

Shinji Ikari hated push-ups. They made him feel tired and weak, which he felt pretty frequently at the FBI Academy. He barely passed his physical tests, and only because of extra work he did in his spare time. if anyone ever questioned his dedication to getting this job, all he had to do was invite them to watch what he did while everyone else was resting after a long day's work.

Asuka had seen his personal exercise regimen once when they were dating. She spent a full ten minutes laughing at him, before challenging him to a wrestling competition and winning, like she always did.

A woman entered the room and said, "Hello, I'm Misato. May I have a word?"

Shinji rose off the floor and wiped the sweat from his brow. He was glad that he was out of breath from the exercises, because at least he had an excuse to be. He tended to have difficulty composing himself around attractive women, and this was no exception. He noticed she had an FBI badge, and wished once again that the dress code was a bit more strict. tT technically only required Special Agents to wear "formal clothes" which most people interpreted as a suit and tie. Misato somehow worked a questionably small blouse, a candy red jacket, and high heels into that definition.

"You look familiar," said Shinji between gasps for air.

"I work at the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Our office is in the other side of the complex. We've probably seen each other in the parking lot."

"I'm planning on applying to the BAU once I finish training."

"I know, that's actually what I want to talk about. I could use your help on this case I'm working on. think of it as an extra credit assignment." Misato gestured to the doorway. Why don't we talk about it while we drive. We'll have some time to kill on our way to D.C."

Shinji knew that a Special Agent's salary could afford a better car than the one Misato drove, a blue, beat-up sedan that was probably at least twenty years old. It was literally falling apart. Parts of the frame were held together with duct tape.

As they pulled out from Quantico, Misato said, "I'm fine with you calling me Misato, but you should probably know most people will refer to me as Supervisory Special Agent Katsuragi."

Shinji was surprised. This woman held a much higher rank than she let on. Most S.S.A's were stuffy bureaucrats and borderline control freaks. Misato had visible beer stains on her jacket.

"So what do you need my help for? And why are we going to D.C.?" Shinji couldn't think of anything important enough to warrant the circumstances, but trivial enough that they would need a trainee who had nearly dropped out twice.

"One of the cases I'm working on right now is a serial killer in West Virginia. A man has killed three people with what appears to be a harpoon, two men and one woman. Each victim was stabbed in their lungs and drowned in their own blood. All three had military backgrounds.

"That doesn't sound too out of the ordinary." As grisly as it was, Shinji knew the BAU dealt with stuff like this every day.

"The killer left messages at each of the crime scenes, either carved in the walls, or written in the victim's blood. At each scene there has been a crucifix, some Hebrew symbols, and the word 'Sachiel.' Sound familiar?"

"You can't mean someone is copycatting the Seele murders?"

"I hope it's just a copycat," sighed Misato. "Otherwise we have to face the possibility that the cult has returned after fifteen years. The last fucking thing the public needs is knowing there might be another Angel on the loose."

"You think it might be another Angel?" The word "Angel" had a special significance to Shinji. As a child, the name brought fear, but also a sense of frustration. They were his childhood bogeymen, as well as what tore his family apart.

Misat said, "Well, why don't you tell me what you know about the Angels, and think about whether this sounds like one."

"Seele was a neo-Kabbalistic cult that frequently engaged in violent crime, and the highest-ranking members were called Angels," replied Shinji. "They took the names of angels from Jewish lore, and wore masks while committing their crimes. Most of them were serial killers, the most prolific being a sniper named Ramiel, who turned out to be a retired marine named Shelby Jacobs."

"Mostly right," said Misato. "But they weren't all serial killers. One of them, Armisael, or something like that, was a rapist. Iruel was a computer hacker, and one kidnapped and murdered a child."

"Leliel." said Shinji, looking off into the distance. "I remember that case. She called herself Leliel."

There was a long pause. The Leliel murder had given him recurring nightmares all through third grade.

"So where do I come into it?"

"As you can imagine, the director has a personal interest in the case. He's spearheading a massive investigation, and he wants you to be a part of it.'

"My father wants me?" asked Shinji incredulously. "I don't think he even know I joined the Academy. He spent the last two decades ignoring everything I did. Hell, Seele was part of the reason he stopped noticing me! What could he possibly need me for?"

"I don't know, he actually hasn't told me," said Misato with a sad smile.

#####

Sachiel entered his bedroom and removed his mask. It had been two days since he had last killed someone. He removed his mask and smiled at a picture of his leader. Although the prophet had died years ago, his teachings lived on through him, and his actions. He said several prayers in a whispered tone, then he made a call on his cellphone.

He got a response after the first ring. "This better not be who I think it is."

In a monotone voice, Sachiel said, "It's not too late, Tabris. We need your help."

A similarly monotone answer came from the other end of the line, "I don't know how you got this number, but never call me again. I'm done with you fucking lunatics."

The other end went dead, leaving Sachiel alone in his room. Except Sachiel was never alone. The prophet was always with him, as long as he remained faithful.

####

The office of Gendo Ikari, director of the FBI, was decidedly spartan. Most people who entered were surprised at how few decorations were displayed, caught off guard by the fact that someone with such an important job kept so few commemorations of his work. Shinji wasn't surprised at all, as Gendo allowed few decorations or memorabilia of the house he grew up in, especially after his mother died.

"What do you need with me, Mr. Director?" Shinji couldn't bring himself to address the man as his father. His job had always come before his position in their family.

"I want you to conduct an interview of a person by the name of Kaworu Nagisa. He has been relocated in Washington D.C. as part of the witness protection program."

"How does he fit into the Sachiel murders?" asked Shinji, trying with every fiber of his being to remain polite around his father.

"Kaworu is an alias given to him when he was relocated fifteen years ago. His real name is Tabris Kihl."

In spite of himself, Shinji gasped. "You don't mean..."

Gendo nodded. "Yes, Tabris is the son of Lorenz Kihl, the leader of Seele. We believe he may have useful information regarding the new murders, but he has refused to share it with every agent I have sent. I think you might have better luck."  
"Why is that?"

Gento allowed himself a faint smile. "Despite your differentpasts, I think you might be able to relate to him and the way he grew up. Both of your childhoods were drastically affected by Seele's crimes."

Genod stood up and walked out, grabbing some files as he left. Shinji stood alone in the office, watching his father leave.

####

It was a short drive from the Hoover Building to Kaworu's apartment. Misato dropped him off, and directing him to the nearest Metro station before she left. KAworu knocked on the door. He could hear classical piano music from inside. After a few moments, he heard a soft voice say, "Come in, the door's open."

Shinji stepped inside, and the sound of a piano arrangement of Beethoven's Ode to Joy filled his ears.

"I'm with the FBI. I was hoping we could talk." yelled Shinji over the music. It stopped, and and boy about his age entered the room. He had pale skin, almost white hair, and bright blue eyes.

"Did you enjoy my playing? It's my favorite song. I think it might be humanity's finest achievement."

"I thought it was a recording," said Shinji in surprise. "That was you? Are you a professional?"

Kaworu smiled. There was something about his face that almost glowed when he smiled.

"No, I'm not a professional. I'm a sociology major at American University."

"I majored in psychology before I joined the Academy," said Shinji nervously. "I also play the cello, but i don't get to practice very often due to all the training."

Kaworu raised an eyebrow. "So you aren't a full agent yet? Interesting."

Shinji blushed and fumbled for his temporary badge. "How rude of me! I didn't introduce myself. I'm Shinji Ikari."

Kaworu laughed to himself. "Your father has a very strange sense of humor, Shinji. Despite whatever we have to talk about, I must say that we would miss a very good chance to defy destiny by not becoming friends."

Shinji said. "Okay... I guess. You seem like a nice enough guy, and we don't live too far away from each other. But first we really should talk about some stuff. Official stuff."

Kaworu sighed. "You're here about the murders, aren't you. The killing performed by some harpoon-wielding madman calling himself Sachiel?"

Shinji answered, "Yes, they think he might be copycatting the Angel killings."

Kaworu said, "I would like to help you, I really would, but I said everything know about my father and his associates years ago. All of the Angels are either dead or captured."

Shinji knew he should press harder, but didn't want to. As childish as it sounded, he didn't want to hurt Kaworu's feelings. "There are lives at stake, Kaworu. Anything you could tell us would help."

Kaworu said, "I'm sorry Shinji. You should probably go. I hope we meet again under different circumstances."

Shinji left the apartment and ventured out into the rain-drenched city. He was determined of two things. First, he also wanted to see Kaworu again under better circumstances. Second, he would find the monster called Sachiel and keep the evil that had robbed him and Kaworu of their childhoods from hurting anyone else.

To Be Continued.


	2. Cruel Angel's Thesis (part 2)

Asuka said, "You know, even though they serve a different pasta every day, they always use the same sauce?"

Jenny looked down at her tray. "I heard the cafeteria hasn't changed it's lunch program in over twenty years. Maybe they're really proud of the sauce?"

Asuka groaned, "That would make sense, if this stuff didn't taste like paint chips."

She looked around the cafeteria. "Say, where's the little idiot?"

"You mean Shinji?" asked Jenny, between bites of a hotdog.

"Yeah,he's usually sitting somewhere by himself like the pathetic little nerd that he is."

"He got a special assignment. I heard one of the BAU agents picked him up."

Asuka jumped out of her chair and slammed both of her hands down on the table.

"WHAAAAAT?!"

"Not so loud," whispered Jenny, as if her being quiet would cancel out the noise Asuka was making. "People are going to stare at us. Again."

Asuka didn't care. She was in full on tantrum mode, during which almost nothing could stop her.

"Of everyone they could have chosen, they fucking went with him? Talk about nepotism!"

She kicked a chair across the floor. "I mean, I've got better test scores,better marksmanship records, and I actually have a fucking spine!"

Jenny was still vainly trying to calm down Asuka, even though she knew it wouldn't work. "You shouldn't get so worked up over this."

"Like hell I should! Say what you will about Hoover, at least he didn't hire his children."

"Because he didn't have children, on account of being ball-to-the-wall insane," muttered Jenny.

ASuka placed her hand across her chest and said, "Well I won't stand for it. If this agency has fallen so far that they want to promote a neurotic little whiner who can't even get through a make-out session without crying, it' my job to fix it."

"That's not true," said Jenny softly.

"Oh, but it is. When we were dating, I think he cried every single time we kissed. It was really depressing."

What I meant, " said Jenny, struggling to hiding her irritation, "was that it isn't your job to fix it."

Asuka gave no indication that she even heard Jenny as she stormed off, leaving her pasta behind.

* * *

I'm sorry you couldn't get through to Kaworu" said Misato. "Don't feel too bad though. The director's been trying to get him to talk for was a bit of a hail mary, to be honest."

Shinji laid back and rested his head against the beat up headrest. Flecks of shredded foam were pushed out and floated into his hair. He barely registered it.

"The worst part is,I'm sure he's holding something back."

"I've heard your dad say the same thing for months. That's why he won't give up."

"I just don't want to hurt him." said Shinji. "You can tell he's been through so much, and is keeping so much buried. And he's so kind. He actually want's to be my friend."

I don't see a reason why you couldn't be. said Misato. "It's like the director said, you have a surprising amount in common."

Shinji's cellphone rang. He didn't recognize the number.

He said, "Hello?"

Kaworu's calm voice answered back. "You left you badge and wallet at my apartment."

Shinji sighed in embarrassment. His first assignment was going just great so far.

Not getting a response, Kaworu said, "I found a card with your phone number on it. That's how I knew how to call you." He laughed. "Do you want to come and pick it up?"

Misato stopped the car near Metro station. Shinji got out.

"I guess. I'm a bit far away."

"No problem," replied Kaworu. "I'll come and meet you halfway. I've got it in my pocket now."

Shinji wanted to make a flippant joke like, Just don't get mugged on your way there, for the love of God, but was too nervous to say it.

* * *

Sachiel stepped off the dock and onto the boat. He wished he had his mask with him. He felt naked without it. Having his harpoon would not hurt either. Even though he wasn't assigned to kill anyone, he had grown attached to the weapon. Gaghiel turned and waved to him.

"The boat looks in good condition." said Sachiel flatly. "It should prove sufficient for dealing with the next sacrifices.

"It won't be necessary until they find you." said Gaghiel. Sachiel wasn't sure what emotion the other Angel was trying to convey.

"I have done my task. What happens next is in the hands of God."

"Just don't go down without a fight," said Gaghiel.

* * *

Shiji met Kaworu in the steps of Strathmore Hall, a performing arts center located near a Metro station.

"Thanks for doing this, Kaworu," said Shinji.

"IT wasn't really any trouble at all." replied Kaworu. "I was planning to come here anyway."

"I've never been here," said Shinji. "What were you planning to do here, uhm, out of curiosity."

Kaworu smiled. "A Japanese choir is stopping by. I've been wanting to listen to them for a few months. They have a new original composition I enjoyed greatly, and wanted to hear in public."

"What's it called?"

"The name is 'A Cruel Angel's Thesis'." Kaworu laughed with a hint of bitterness. "The universe really does have a twisted sense of humor, doesn't it?"

* * *

After the show, Shinji walked with Kaworu towards his car, a navy blue sedan with gold highlights.

"Thanks, Kaworu, I really enjoyed the show," said Shinji, smiling. He felt more relaxed than he had in weeks, maybe months.

"I wish was some way for me to repay the favor," said KAworu. "I must admit, you were quite different from everyone else your father sent to mine information from me. I wish I could help you."  
"I wish I could help the victims," said Shinji. "Three people are dead. They had families. Friends. Comrades in the military. THey didn't deserve what happened to them, and they will be missed by those who love them."

"The world can be a cruel place." said Kaworu, looking up at the night sky. "I think we both know that better than most. Life is often an endless struggle to relieve the pain felt by ourselves and our fellow human beings."

"Maybe we could try one last thing. I know agent Katsuragi's profile on the killer. I could tell it to you, and you let me know if it reminds you of anyone you know."

"It couldn't hurt, but despite my studies in sociology, I don't know many people very well."

Shinjin closed his eyes and tried to remember all of the details Misato had told him.

"The UnSub was believed to be a man in his mid thirties, who had been a newly initiated member in the last days before Seele's downfall. He probably lived near his victims,and needed to have close combat training to take down his victims. The killer had a sadistic streak, and enjoyed watching his victims die. Like most of the Angels,he was not a traditional sociopath, but his mind was molded and tainted by the teachings of :Lorenz Kihl. The Unsub was obsessed with his ideas and prophecies, and came to believe fulfilling them was more important than human life. I don't remember the rest."

Kaworu rubbed his temples. "There may be someone. Eric Benedict. He was one of the only members of Seele close to my age. He was dedicated, but he had little experience when the FBI started arresting people."

Shinji's eyes lit up. "Do you know where he lives?"

"He was relocated to northern Pennsylvania, but he moved recently to Martinsburg, West Virginia. He's been trying to get back into contact with me."

"That's pretty close to where the victims died." said Shinji, barely containing his excitement.

"It all sounds pretty suspicious when we say it out loud," said Kaworu. "Should we notify the authorities.?"

"We could, but Benedict would see them coming and put up a fight. We could take him off guard by giving him what he wants: you."

"Are you sure this is a good idea? You're only a trainee."

A rare look of confidence grew on Shinji's face. "I have firearm training and a .45 in my bag. Plus, my father technically authorized me to follow up on any leads you give me."

* * *

Eric Benedict lived in a two story house in a peaceful neighborhood. Kaworu rang the doorbell.  
"You wanted to talk, Eric?" he shouted. "Well here I am."

A man with blonde hair, wearing black pants and a black shirt, answered the door. Kaworu and Shinji entered.

Benedict said, "I have something to show you, Tabris. Give me just a moment. "

Shinji immediately felt uncomfortable that Benedict was pulled out his pistol and hid it behind his back. He was not surprised when Benedict returned wearing a mask and holding a revolver.

"Get down!" yelled Shinji, before ducking behind a couch. Benedict's first shot grazed the side of his left eye, leaving a bloody gash. Shinji grunted and swallowed the pain as the second and third shots tore into the the time it took Benedict to recock the gun for his fourth shot, Shinji fired twice. Both bullets missed.

Shinji yelled,"Get in the car, Kaworu!"

Kaworu fled out the door while Benedict shot at Shinji again.

Benedict fired two more times, but both rounds sank into the couch's cushions. Shinji was glad about one aspect of his slight frame, that it made him a smaller target. Benedict growled and threw aside the gun, grabbing his harpoon. He lunged at Shinji, who deflected the strike and punched his attacker in the stomach , to no avail. Benedict turned his shoulder into Shinji's chest and pushed. Both of them went crashing through the window.

Shinji looked up and saw that Kaworu's sedan had pulled out. He kicked Benedict, who was still lying on the ground, covered in glass. The older man brought up the harpoon to defend himself. Shinji's foot snapped it in half.

Shinji aimed his pistol at his now unarmed target. He pulled the trigger, and was shocked at how loud it was. He wasn't used to gunfire this close without ear protection. He was momentarily stunned, giving Benedict time to strike. He grabbed Shinji's thin arms and twisted.

Shinji howled in agony as his right arm gave a sickening crack. Benedict threw him across the lawn. Shinji was incapacitated by the pain, so his opponent nonchalantly walked over to pick up the half of the harpoon with the barb.

Shinji looked up at Benedict. He found himself focusing on the mask. The long beak and blank eye circles betrayed no emotion. Shinji couldn't imagine the emotions someone would feel when killing someone, but the mask betrayed none of them. A white light encompassed the man's entire body.

Shinji quickly realized that it wasn't light from God, but headlights. Benedict turned just as the car slammed into him. The driver stopped as he hit him, throwing his body across the lawn. Kaworu stepped out of the car and ran to Shinji.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Shinji could do nothing but cough violently and point towards Benedict, who was rising of the ground. He rested on one knee, and his left arm hung limply to the ground.

Between gurgled breathes, he said, "My end is your beginning."

He drew the barb of the harpoon across his throat, drawing a red line.

Shinji felt pain and disgust overwhelm him, and he blacked out.

* * *

The first thing he saw when he woke up was a sterile white ceiling tile. He turned his head and was greeted by a smiling Misato Katsuragi.

"The doctors said you still need rest, but I wanted to congratulate you. Although they aren't pleased that you didn't call backup,they are impressed that you eliminated the Sachiel Killer. You did a good job."  
"Kaworu helped." said Shinji softly, looking back up at the ceiling.

"He's going to be back to visit you. He's been here every day while you were asleep."

"How long..."

"About three days." answered Misato. Since then,several potential Angel cases have come to our attention. Whoever their leader was, it wasn't Benedict. We'll need your help when you recover."

Misato got up and left. Shinji sighed and kept staring at the ceiling.

To Be Continued.


	3. Fly Me to the Moon

Asuka stormed into the waiting room. She felt her rage, which had seemed eternal and invincible, begin to drain. As mad as she was, there was, there was something about the hospital that drained her fury. She wasn't sure if this was caused by the memories of her mother in the psych ward, the sick people around her, or just human nature. She sighed and sat down. "Gott in Himmel..." she groaned. A boy sitting next to her turned and smiled. He was about her age.

He said," Sprichst Du auch Deutsch?"

She leaned in closer and said, "Ja."

The boy extended his index finger and thumb about an inch apart. He winked and said, "I only speak a little. I haven't used it in years."

Asuka gave him a quick look-over. He was reasonably attractive, if a bit on the skinny side. He was an albino, which she found intriguing rather than put her hand on his thigh and looked him in the eye. "We should do something together when we're done here."

"You seem like a kind enough person, but I'm afraid you have the wrong idea."

He opened his wallet, revealing a rainbow flag card next to his ID.

"I'm sorry... Kaworu," said Asuka, reading his driver's license. She sighed again. Just her luck. All the cute ones were gay or married. Or whiny, neurotic little glory hogs, in Shinji's case.

The secretary gestured to Kaworu and said, "Next!"

He walked up to her desk and said, "I'm here to see Shinji Ikari."

Asuka sprung up out of her seat. "So am I!"

"Small world," said Kaworu. "Do you wish to see if he's doing well too?"

"Fuck no! I'm here to give him a piece of my mind!" yelled Asuka, only to be hushed by the secretary.

Kaworu looked in bewilderment as Asuka slapped the desk. "I'm here to give that nepotistic little brat a wake up call." She glared at the secretary and demanded, "What room is he in?"

The secretary- Gladys, according to her name tag- scrolled down her spreadsheet. "According to this, he checked out this morning."

Kaworu sat down and wondered why Shinji didn't call him and tell him he had sat beside him and let her rage simmer.

* * *

Shinji got home using a train and a cab. Nobody at the Academy seemed to notice that he was gone, though everyone must have heard about the Sachiel case by now. He trudged back to his dorm with his head bowed. He entered his room and collapsed onto the bed without even changing his clothes. He masturbated and cried himself to sleep. Shinji's dreams were filled with visions of a masked maniac and a strange albino boy who was kind to him for no apparent reason.

* * *

Gaghiel thought this would be much easier if he had a mask. Sachiel had a mask, as did most of the previous Angel's. Unfortunately, fate had seen fit to task him with stalking his targets masked only with a smile. His prey left the gleaming building she worked in and walked past him. As predicted, she was the last worker to leave this evening.

Gaghiel turned towards her. "Do you work at the aquarium?" He pointed to her jacket, emblazoned with the Baltimore Aquarium's logo. In truth, he knew she worked there, as he had followed her every action over the last 48 hours.

"Must be cool to work with all of those fish."

She nodded without interest and kept walking. He could tell she just wanted to go home and was confused by his interest. Good. She wasn't scared yet.

"I'm a fisherman, he said, pointing to his attire. "So I've always had an interest in aquariums."

"That's great." She stepped back cautiously as he moved closer and closer to her.

She was too slow. In seconds, his arms were gripping her shoulders, and he wrapped the fishing line around her throat. Her body spasmed frantically as he tightened the plastic chord. She soon became still, leaving Gaghiel alone in the night.

* * *

Misato was waiting for Shiji right outside his dorm. She waved enthusiastically. He walked with her to her office in the BAU. on his way, Shinji looked at the bustling agents hard at work, starting their mornings off with grisly murder and coffee. It occurred to him that this is what his mornings would soon look like.

Misato's entire office was decorated with crime scene pictures. Most agents would delegate that to a single wall or board, but Misato's were strewn across the entire room. Shinji was a bit of a neat freak, and couldn't comprehend how she got anything done with this setup. He recognized a few pictures as the work of Eric Benedict.

Misato sat down and spun lazily in her chair, apparently oblivious to all of the corpses around her. "I need you to perform another interview for me."

"On Kaworu?"

"No. The next Angel may already be women have been strangled and dumped in the Baltimore harbor in the two weeks since Benedict died. The director does not believe the UnSub would be someone Kaworu knew again."

"So who will I be talking to?"

"Lilith Fabian."

Shinji gasped in spite of himself. "You mean Leliel?"

Misato nodded. "She was the only Angel ever captured alive, and was in a relationship with one of the most brutal ones. She could provide valuable insight. The director also believes that the may be a candidate for the new leader of Seele."

Shinji couldn't bring himself to object to his assignment. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to.

* * *

After a lengthy security screening process, Shinji was brought into a holding cell at Alderson. Even though this was supposedly a minimum security complex, the process seemed to take forever. After a minute r two of being alone, the guards brought in his subject.

Lilith Fabian had changed a lot in prison. The pictures of her after her arrest depicted an average looking blonde woman. Her ordinary appearance had disturbed Shinji at the time. He learned at a young age that the worst monsters looked just like everyone else. Now her hair was dyed in black and white swirls, and religious tattoos poked out from under her outfit.

She sat down and looked him right in the eye. "Where shall we start?"

Shinji nervously fumbled with his pen while maintaining eye contact.

"How about we start with Eric Benedict?"

Lilith shrugged. "I haven't seen him in years. He was a pretty small fish. Never visited me, unlike some of the others. I'm surprised he had it in him."

"Were you aware of his plans to restart Seele's activities?"

"No, and I don't think it was his plan."

"So you don't think Benedict was acting on his own initiative?'

"No."

Lilith had an amused look on her face. She clearly thought she had the upper hand. If Shinji wanted to get anywhere he needed to take her down a peg.

"What is your opinion on the involvement of Tabris Kihl?"

"Honestly, I'm not surprised. He never really liked any of us. I understand he like you, which isn't much a surprise either."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You're his type."

"Excuse me?"

Lilith chuckled and watched a twinge of pink enter Shinji's cheeks. "You've had an interesting week. The best thing I've seen all month was a fight between a gang member and an arsonist two weeks ago. You, on the other hand, have not only managed to befriend the son of your father's nemesis, hop up a level in the FBI, and personally meet two serial killers."

"One."

"Excuse me?"

"Technically, Benedict was the only serial killer I met." Shinji swallowed his disgust at what he was about to say. "You only killed one child before they caught you. You don't count."

Lilith's smile vanished. With a bit more confidence, Shinji said, "You shouldn't feel inadequate. After all, we can't all be like Shamshel, can we? I wonder, did you know what Seele was when he initiated you?"

"Honestly, I thought it was some sort of bandage club. Which wasn't totally inaccurate, given what he was doing to the victims."

Shinji made a note of Lilith's decision to use the word "victim." It implied the people her lover killed did not deserve to die.

"There's more than one difference between you and Benedict."

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"

"Your eyes. When I looked into Eric Benedict's eyes, they were as blank as the mask he was wearing. Yours look just like mine do in the mirror."

"And you think that tells you something about me?"

"I think you spent a lot of time feeling terrified and lonely while Seele was active. I think you were just as scared of the other Angels as that boy was of you. And I think you're afraid of yourself, and of what you did to him."

"I suppose you're right in a sense. Everyone is afraid of their self. The question is which self they are afraid of."

"I don't follow."  
"Think of it this way. There is more than one Lilith Fabian, depending on who observes me. To elaborate, there is the Lilith Fabian in my mind, and there is a Lilith Fabian in your mind. their is a Lilith Fabian in the mind of Tabris Kihl, one in the mind of Gendo Ikari, one in the mind of Shamshel, and one in the mind of the American penal system. All are very different from each other, but they are all undeniably Lilith Fabian."

"That's an interesting philosophy," said Shinji. "Which version of yourself scares you the most?"

"You're the profiler. You figure it out."

Lilith stood up. "I'm afraid we're out of time. I have to get my beauty rest, and you have a killer to catch."

AS she stepped towards the door, Shinji said, "You realize that if Seele is returning, the only way to make up for what you did is to help us."

Lilith glared at him For a split second, her eyes looked just like Benedict's.

"And you must realize that the only way you can stop them is to become your father."

* * *

Misato Katsuragi's name blinked on his vibrating phone. Shinji answered with a quick "Hello?"

Misato did not greet him back. Instead, she said, "How did it go?"

"Hit and miss," answered Shinji. "If she knows anything, she isn't willing to tell us. But I don't think she's involved. She certainly isn't pulling the strings."

Misato sighed. "I thought that might be the case. I doubt there is a single leader like last time. If there were, they would have revealed themself already. It's probably a coalition of former members calling the shots."

Shinji heard the faint rustling of papers, followed by what sounded like a chair spinning. Misato said, "Before I forget, you'll be having some help. They selected another cadet to work on the case. One of the Academy's top students."

Shinji felt his stomach sink. "What's their name?" he asked sheepishly, afraid he already knew the answer.

"Asuka Langley Sohryu."

At that exact moment Shinji's phone buzzed as he received a text message. It read: "Get ready to see how a real FBI agent does it, motherfucker. Prepare yourself for the German Invasion. XOXO, Asuka."

To be continued.


	4. Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

Shinji packed the last of his manga into a cardboard box. The thrill of his graduation ceremony had worn off. As of one hour ago, he was now officially a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Which meant he was now burdened with the insurmountable task of cleaning out his dorm room.

He refused to let the fact that his father had not attended the ceremony get to him. He had imagined this day for years, but never once expected his father to be a part of it, even after he became the director. He could only imagine that seeing his father would add to the melancholy he was currently feeling.

He was pretty close to being finished when his phone buzzed. He had an incoming call and a new text message. Shinji decided to answer the call first.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Congratulations!" said Kaworu, his voice as airy and cheerful as ever. He was one of the few people that Shinji could not imagine saying anything mean.

"Congratulations for what?"

Kaworu laughed. "For completing your training, of course! That was today, right?"

"Yeah, but I didn't think you, uh, knew about it." Shinji stammered. "I didn't tell you about it."

Kaworu said, "I can see the Academy's schedule on their website. I wanted to keep track of it after I met you, so I could congratulate you when you triumphed. Which you have. So congratulations!"

"That's.. a bit odd, Kaworu. We still don't know each other very well."

"Well, how are we supposed to get to know each other better if we don't try to learn anything about each other?"

"Maybe I don't want you to learn more about me!" Shinji blurted. "Maybe you won't like what you find."

Oh, Shinji," sighed Kaworu. "Don't say things like that. You are a beautiful person."

"Don't mock me."

"I'm being sincere! I would never mock you. You're important to me."

"You're a strange person, Kaworu."

Kaworu laughed again. When he did, it felt like he was actually in the room with Shinji. "Maybe that's why we need to stick together."

Shinji hung up. Kaworu was... confusing. He was always so friendly with Shinji, which felt like a double edged sword. On one hand, Shinji liked having one person in his life who he wasn't afraid would be cruel. On the other hand, he always had a feeling that he should be afraid for some other reason.

Shinji checked the text message. It was from Misato, telling him to meet in the BAU building. He put the last of his boxes in his car and walked over to his new workplace.

* * *

Gendo dialed a number he had not dialed in a long time. He had hoped he would not need to dial it ever again. Unfortunately, it was his job to make sure he used the resources available to him to the best of his ability. He possessed few resources as powerful as Rei Ayanami.

He was not greeted with a "Hello" when Rei picked up, and he did not offer one to her. Instead, he said, "We have need for your assistance again. The Angels have returned. More people are dying."

He hung up and resumed his paperwork.

* * *

"We have confirmed that the next Angel is active," said Misato. "Over the past few weeks, three women have been strangled and dumped in the Baltimore Harbor. The fourth was found this morning. The killer has pinned a note to each victim signed 'Gaghiel,' and strangled each victim with fishing line."

Shinji raised his hand. "WHere was the latest victim found?"

"Not far from the Baltimore Aquarium, where she worked." answered Misato. "The Angels sure like to pick to a theme."

Another agent raised her hand. Shinji thought her name was Maya, but he couldn't remember for sure. He subtly craned his neck around to get a look at her ID card. Maya said, "It might be a reference to the Apostles, who were called 'fishers of men.'"

"How cute," said Misato. "Everyone get ready to head to the crime scene."

* * *

Asuka sighed deeply. As she exhaled, she blew a strand of auburn hair out of her line of had naively assumed that graduating would mean she instantly got to start working on the hardest cases. Instead, she and Shinji were sent to get coffee while the more experienced agents got to examine the were currently waiting in what she could only imagine was the slowest line any Starbucks had ever experienced, ever.

"This isn't fair," she groaned.

"Complaining never solved anything." answered Shinji in that monotone voice he adopted when he was bored. It was a tone Asuka had become quite familiar with over the months they had known each other.

"You've been pissy all day, Shinji," she said. "What's eating you?"

"Besides the fact that a woman's life has been tragically cut short by the deranged actions of a cultist psychopath?"

"Yeah, besides that."

"The usual, I guess."

Asuka could tell she wasn't going to get anything interesting out of him. She decided to take a different approach. "So who's Mr. Tall-Pale-and-Handsome?"

Shinji raised an eyebrow. "I literally have no idea what the fuck you're talking about sometimes, Asuka."

"I mean the cute albino guy who speaks German. I met him at the hospital, and he said he knew you."

"I probably shouldn't say. It's sensitive to the case."

"Which, I'm now working on, Asshole. Spill."

"He's the son of Lorenz Kihl. I interviewed him during the Sachiel investigation."

"He seems to have taken a liking to you, if you know what I mean."

Shinji groaned in irritation. "Not really."

"Oh come on, you haven't noticed? He's gay! Like, really gay."

Shinji froze up. "Are you sure?"

"It's literally the only reason I haven't fucked his brains out."

Shinji was lost in thought for a few moments. Finally he said, "I don't think that's right. You must be jumping to conclusions."

"You have a real talent for denial, you know that Shinji?"

* * *

The body had been placed on dry land on the edge of the dock. Misato didn't like to move bodies, but in this case they needed to do a preliminary examination before taking it to the morgue. It was the first body they had found since the killer had been confirmed as the next Angel.

She was sure that the fact that the body was blocking critical boat traffic didn't help.

She opened the watertight envelope that had been pinned to the body. Like most messages found at Angel crime scenes, it contained a signature and a slew of religious symbols, including several crucifixes.

"I never really got the crucifixes," said Maya. "Seele was always based more in Jewish lore, right? Why the Christian imagery?"

Misato said, "In one interview, Kihl explained that for centuries before the start of Christianity, the cross was a symbol of a slow, torturous death. He wanted to bring the old meaning back."

Misato examined the victim's throat. The killer had left the fishing line tangled around it, outlined by red marks on the skin. "Yet another Angel has chosen to kill by robbing the victims of air. After Shamsel and Sachiel, this is the third Angel to use this method. And the second to specifically strangle the victim after Shamshel."

"I'm guessing you don't count the Sandalphon victims who died of smoke inhalation?" asked Maya.

"No, arsonists don't plan which way their victims die." Misato pulled out her pocket notebook and began jotting down her thoughts. "Given that all victims were found this close together, the UnSub probably lives in Baltimore. He probably owns a boat, which he used to dispose of the bodies."

Maya pointed behind Misato and asked, "What the hell does that guy think he's doing?"

Misato turned and saw a small speedboat resting right next to the edge of the crime scene. Badge in hand, she ran up to him and said, "Excuse me, but this is a closed crime scene."

The man driving the boat was dressed in fishing gear. He shouted, "No shit!"

He then pulled out a submachine gun and began opening fire. Misato and the other agents ducked for cover, which was sparse. Misato ducked behind a wooden bench. She tried to get a good look to return fire, but the bullets danced inches away from her head. She couldn't help but notice that the bench was being torn into splinters by the continuous gunfire.

* * *

When they heard the gunfire, Asuka sprung into action first. She grabbed Shinji by the arm and said, "Grab your gun, this is our big chance!"

Running alongside her, Shinji said, "I didn't bring a gun!"

Asuka groaned. "What kind of idiot doesn't bring a gun to a crime scene?"

She unsheathed her pistol, a Luger P08. It was a family, of sorts. Asuka's mother had given it to her, who had received it from her own mother. Asuka's Grandmother had used it to personally shoot a high-ranking officer of the SS back in the forties.

Asuka and Shinji reached the dock and quickly analyzed the situation. At least three agents had already been shot. They couldn't tell how many were still shooter was not aware that they were there.

"Cover me," Asuka whispered.

"With what? Rocks?" Shinji shot back.

Asuka groaned and made a run for it. She ducked and weaved behind whatever cover she could find until she reached the edge of the dock. She jumped of the end and fired one shot at the man driving the boat before splashing into the water..

Although she would never know for sure, Asuka would always tell people that she shot the Angel right between the eyes. She had actually hit him in the left cheek. THe Angel writhed in pain and grabbed his face, dropping the gun. More importantly, he also kicked the accelerator. In too much pain to control the boat, he could do nothing as it crashed into the shore . The bow was shatter on impact, pushing the driver and the motor behind him onto the shore. IT crushed the entire upper half of his body into a red paste. Misato ran up next to Asuka. She panted, "I think it's safe to say he was probably our Angel. Good job."

Asuka beamed while Shinji coughed and muttered something under his breath.

* * *

Shinji was neither underwhelmed or overwhelmed by his new apartment. It was a little larger than his dorm at the Academy, but it wasn't as clean. He could fix that. He had always been a bit of a neat freak, and shouldered most of the cleaning responsibilities at his dorm.

He decided to take a short walk to get the lay of the land. The building was located a convenient distance from Quantico and the rent wasn't too bad. As he passed by the entrance, he saw a familiar flash of bright red hair in the elevator.

The door opened seconds after they had closed and Asuka stepped right back out. With a shocked expression on her face, she said, "Please tell me you won't be living here too."

Shinji awkwardly looked at his feet. He didn't know what to tell her.

A familiar voice said, "It's a small, and often strange world, isn't it?"

They both turned around to see Misato. She was wearing casual clothes, something they hadn't seen before.

"This apartment has been home to a lot of FBI agents over the years. You really shouldn't be surprised. "

Asuka tore at her hair in frustration. "How could this get any worse?"

Misato smiled. "We'll be joined on this case by an expert consultant. You'll meet her in the morning. Until then, sweet dreams."

To be Continued.


End file.
